Tuesday, December 06, 2005

No Line For Walk The Line

I went on an impromptu trip to the movies last Thursday night. Some friends and I saw the new Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. Now, I've been a casual fan of Johnny Cash for a number of years now. I'm no fan of country music, but to me Johnny Cash has always been one of those artists capable of transcending genres. So, I was more or less eager to see Walk the Line. This did unfortunately mean that I had to go to Bridgewater, one of my most hated of places. But I put such hatred aside for a few hours for one of my more loved of activities, going to the movies.

Bridgewater recently built a new multiplex near their impossibly shitty mall. This came a number of years after they closed their last multiplex, which was located inside an impossibly shitty mall (oddly enough, I'm talking about two different malls). I was expecting a crowd, it being cheap night and all, but I was somewhat pleased that there was virtually no one there and as my title suggested there was no line for Walk the Line. Such mild pleasure was soon sullied upon finding out that a box of Milk Duds and a coke cost about as much as my ticket did.

As for the movie itself, it was pretty good. The acting was fine and whatnot. The singing was also fine. Reese Witherspoon really surprised me, as I have never really cared for her in any movie I've seen her in. My one problem with Walk the Line though was that it was a bit too long. The movie was about two hours and fifteen minutes long and you could really start to feel it after about an hour and a half. Now, knowing what little I know about Johhny Cash's life, I knew going in that this was not a story that could easily be wrapped up in ninety minutes. And even with the time they had, they only covered a portion of his life and accomplishments, which was a little disappointing. But, I still maintain that Walk the Line was a smidgeon too long.

Now I wouldn't let my minor nitpicking dissuade you from seeing Walk the Line, if you haven't already seen it. In this dismal year of movies we've had, Walk the Line is a refreshing change from artsy crap and brainless popcorn movies. Casual fans and hardcore Cash fanatics will all find something to enjoy in this movie. Even if you don't really know anything about Johnny Cash, you should probably see this movie. Even if your only exposure to Johnny Cash's music comes from having drunkenly sang "Ring of Fire" at somebody's house party, you should probably see this movie.

4 comments:

Shauna said...

I am heartened by your description of Walk the Line - Ryan and I went to the movies last night, and were appaled at the selection. I feared Reese Witherspoon, so we chose Harry Potter instead. Oh, dear. Well, I'm sure you would have told me so, if only we were still regular aquaintances, but since I didn't have your wisdom, there I was... two hours and forty minutes (that's twenty-five whole minutes longer and less necessary than the Johnny Cash movie), and blah. That's right. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire = Blah. Oh, and keep your chin up. Bridgewater is probably your local equivalent of what North Syndey is for me (the nearest mall, albeit a crap-tastic one, full of reasons humanity shouldn't continue reproducing) but never fear... the great thing about dead-end towns is they're stuck where they are. Unlike mutant blobs, which can envelop you at a great distance with slow, but certain horror. Southern Ontario is such a blob... slowly, yet certainly, expanding and taking over the wilderness in a Prospect Street fashion.

Janice said...

I have to disagree with you on H Po, Shauna. I thought it was fantastic. Better than any of the others so far. But maybe that's just because I'm a perverted old lady and I have an increasingly disturbing crush on Daniel Radcliffe. I mean, he's so dreamy!

Um, but seriously. The movie was sweet. I guess the only way to resolve this is for us to fight to the death. And it is so against the rules to sick your minions (i.e. pets) on me. That is unless I'm allowed to sick my minions (i.e. roommates) on you. Now that would be an interesting battle.

Anonymous said...

Surprise Cockface!

Anonymous said...

Walk the line does sound all right but I think that I'll wait until it comes out on video or I can Share (steal) it off the intronet.

I have no patience for this holiday movie madness Bah-humbug.